Kiln



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2 Sheets-Sheet l G. P. FACKT KILN Filed Feb. 28,

Sept. 24, 1940.

G1 P. FACKT Sept. 24, 1940.

KILN

2 Sheets-Sheet 2l Filed Feb. 28, 1959 mw N www vwl Patented Sept. 24, 1940.

'UNITED STATES Prir'lslv'r` orrioa l George P. Fackt, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Application February 28, 1939. Serial N o. 258,978 I 14 Claims.

My invention relates to tunnel mume kiln structures of the type in which conveyor slabs or plates are placed end to end and pushed through the kiln, such slabs supporting the articles or product to be iired in the kiln without contacting said product with combustion gases.

In tunnel` kilns of the class described as commonly constructed, the slabs or plates used for supporting the product are supported on a con-` tinuous stationary floor of fire brick or other refractory material under which there is a heat passageway or flue. The heat passages of the kiln are supplied with heat from oil or gas burners placed along the sides ofthe kiln with l5 the flames directed laterally under the muille and around the sides thereof. With this construction it is impracticable to employ more than two tunnels or muille passages in the kiln and obtain an accurately controlled, sufiicient heat transference throughout. If the burners were disposed beneath the muifles the stationary floor of the muiles would impede the passage of heat and ma-L terially slow up the ring of the product.

Among the objects of `my present invention is the provision of a tunnel kiln of the class described of compact form in which the heat is applied more directly and evenly to the product being red and in which the firing operation can be completed in much shorter time than with the kilns commonly used. It is also an object of this invention to provide a construction wherein any number of tunnels or muille passages may be used successfully and still achieve the desired heat transference in each tunnel.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a kiln of the tunnel type in which the slabs or plates carrying the product form a movable floor through the tunnel against the underside of which the heat from the burners vis directed, the burners being arranged at intervals .under the kiln and directed upwardly toward the underside of the slabs supporting the product` to be red.

- In the ordinary tunnel kilns in which slabs or plates are used for supporting the product the line of plates may buckle upwards under the force necessary to push it through the kiln thereby upsetting the product thereon and causing choking of the kilns. It is also true that the floor upon 50 which the plates ride in the ordinary construction.

becomes uneven and impedes the movement of the plates causing jambing and choking of the kiln and also causing breaking of the slabs Where heavily loaded. It is a further object of my in- 55 vention to overcome these disadvantages by form (c1. 26a-2s) ing tracks or guides for the side portions of the plates in the walls of the kiln. The upper part of the tracks or guides extend overthe side p'ortion adjacent the edges of the plates thereby preventing the plates from buckling or otherwise getting 5 out of the desired horizontal plane.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter from the following description and drawings.

Referring to the drawings which are entirely 10 diagrammatic and for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a kiln embodying a form of my invention. 'Ihe section is indicated on line l-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 isa sectional plan View on line 2-2 of l5 Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation on line 3--3 of Fig. 1 taken through the heating up zone;

, Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation on 20 line 4 4 of Fig. 1 taken through the hot zone;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectionalv elevation on line 5 -5 of Fig. 1 taken through the cooling zone; r

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation v25 through a kiln illustrating another form of my invention. The section is indicated on line 6 6 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view on line 1--1 of Fig. 6; v 30 Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation on line 8-8 of Fig. 6 taken through the hot zone of such kiln; and i i Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of the feed end of the kiln showing a form of pusher for the 35 slabs.

Referring particularly t Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the tunnel kiln shown is of the type in which two product receiving tunnels or passages are arranged side by side, it being understood, however, that either a single or a greater number of passages may be provided in the same structure. In the gures, a designates the feed end of the kiln or the heating-up zone, b designates the intermediate portion or hot zone, and c designates the delivery end or cooling zone.

Extending throughout the kiln are two tunnels or passages generally indicated by reference nu-` meral I2. These tunnels are relatively deep throughout the heating-up and hot zones and relatively shallow throughout the cooling zone. In the tunnels longitudinal recesses or guide, y channels I4 are yformed in the side walls i5 and l5 of the kiln and in the sices of a. central wall i3 which are designed to receive and support the heat-conductive refractory plates or slabs I5 arranged to be engaged by each other at their respective front and rear ends throughout the kiln thereby forming a movable .door and support for the product to be iired in the kiln.V

It is understood that the product is placed on successive slabs inserted at the feed end of the kiln and any suitable mechanism for engaging the end of the last inserted slab is used for pushing the slabs progressively through the kiln. With the above described construction, due to the fact that only a very small proportion of the area of the undersurface of the slabs is in frictional contact with the recesses or guide channels I4 in the tunnels I 2, it requires much less force to push the slabs through the kiln than in the ordinary kilns in which the slabs lie upon a floor in contact therewith throughout their entire lower surfaces. The construction embodying the recesses or guide channels I4 also serves to keep the end edges of the slabs in alignment and prevents successive slabs from buckling upward and overlapping as they are pushed through the kiln. In other words, the slabs forming a movable oor through the tunnels are kept in a horizontal plane at all times and cannot be pushed up on end.

In the hot zone B the kiln is provided with a plurality of openings I8 extending through the bottom of the kiln. Each such opening I 8 is provided with a. gas or oil burner I9 or other suitable heat producing means. The heat produced is directed upwardly against the bottom of the slabs.

In the forms shown the kiln is particularly designed for the purpose of ring tile, indicated at 20, on the slabs I6. generally designates the top of each tunnel or passage I2 which is disposed comparatively close to the slabs forming the movable floor. This ceiling or top may be made in any suitable manner, however in the present instance, I have employed two slabs 23, one over each tunnel, supported on the wall I3 and on ledges 24 on the side walls I5 and I5 of the kiln. Upon the slabs 23 are thin slabs indicated at 25 upon which is placed any desired heat insulating material 26.

With the construction above outlined, it can be seen that the tunnels or passages I2 are divided or partitioned by slabs I5 thereby providing a. heat treating tunnel chamber 21 in the upper regions of each of the tunnels I2. The products 20 to be fired are thus protected from direct contact with the products of combustion and hot gases While at the same time adequate heat transference is obtained from the source of heat to the heat treating chamber.`

In the zone a near the end of the kiln there is provided a stack 28 mounted in the top of an enclosing wall housing 29. In the region of this housing the kiln walls I5 and E5 are reduced in height and provided with apertures 30 which permit passage of the hot gases from the lower portion of tunnels I2 outwardly and upwardly through ilue passages 3l and upwardly through stack 2S. A cross partition wall 33 is provided to prevent escape of the gases through the entrance end of the kiln.

At the cooling or discharge end c of the kiln the slab supporting structure and the ceiling construction is the same as throughout the remainder oi the kiln except that as previously described the tunnels I2 are of less depth than throughout the remainder of the kiln, the iioor or bottom wall di the kiln being higher throughout the cooling zone beyond a wall portion 35 at the end of the hot zone. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the tunnels I2 Reference numeral 22` are sumciently deep to provide a depressed portion under the slabs as indicated at 36. This permits the slabs throughout the cooling zone to be supported solely on the shoulders of the guide channels I4.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 t'o 8,.the kiln construction is the same as that of Figs. 1 to 54 for that much of the kiln forming zones a and c. Thus Fig. 3 is the same as a section would appear taken through the stack and flue structure of Fig. 6, and Fig. 5 is a true section through the zone c of Fig. 6. The intermediate or hot zone b of the kiln of Figs. 6 to 8, however, is constructed differently than in the other form of the invention and will be described in detail below.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 to 8, the intermediate or hot zone b has outer wall sections 40 and 4I extending laterally beyond the wall portions I5-I5'. Parallel to the outer wall sections is a wall 42 forming a continuation of wall I3 and having longitudinal grooves or guides I4' which form a continuation of the grooves I4 of wall I3. Intermediate the wall 42 and each side wall there is provided what will be termed a rail wall 43 which is provided with a longitudinal groove I4 forming a continuation of the respective grooves I4 of the walls I5 and I5'. Extending transversely of the kiln are a plurality of partition walls 44 which interrupt the lower portion of tunnels I2 and form a plurality of chambers 45. The walls 44 extend to within a short distance of the bottom of slabs IB. These partitions also extend upwardly outside of and above the top of the rail Wall portions to shoulders 40-4I in the wall sections ill-4I. The floor or lower wall 48 of the kiln is provided with an opening 41 inthe region of each compartment or chamber 45. Each opening is provided with a suitable burner 48 or other heat producing means.

A top closure 50 extends over the space between rails 43 and cooperates therewith and with the slabs I6 and wall 42 to form a pair of iiring tunnels or tunnel muiiles 5I. Above the closure 50 are a pair of longitudinal fiues 52 through which the products of combustion may pass to the tunnels I2 of warming up zone a and subsequently out through stack 32. Over the flues 52 are slabs 23', and 25', and heat insulation 26' which are supported on shoulders 40'-4I and wall section 42. Outwardly of the rails 43 the partition walls 44l extend upwardly to the top wall members 23' as previously described and cooperate with the rails to form the passages 54 through which the products of combustion or hot gases must pass before reaching the flues 52. After reaching flues 52 the hot gases flow toward stack 28, passing down the last pair of vertical passages 54' and into the lower portion of tunnels I2 in the zone a. In this form of the invention the firing chamber is more completely surrounded by the heating flames and gases than in the other form of the invention.

In both forms of my invention as illustrated it is to be understood that I preferably use some simple form of pusher for moving the floor of slabs through the kiln. In Fig. 9 there is diagrammatically illustrated a iluid operated pusher comprising a cylinder 56, piston rod 5l, which terminates at its inner end in a piston (not shown) and at its outer end in a cross-head 55. The cross-head is adapted to engage the outermost slabs I6 which ride in angle-iron tracks 59 mounted exteriorly of the kiln 66 and in registration with the channeis I 4 in the kiln. Sevgalassi eral slabs may be placed on the tracks B9 and all pushed in at once by the hydraulic means. Any suitable source of pressurefluidmay be used for supplying the cylinder 58.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described .as taking two principal forms it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact forms shown but it is intended to Acover' such changes and modiiications as come within the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a kiln having,a tunnel therein; a floor supported at its side portions in said tunnel; said kiln having openings through the bottom thereof; and heat producing means at'each opening directed upwardly toward the exposed under face of said oor. Y

-2. In a kiln having a tunnel therein; said tunnel having a longitudinal groove in its side walls;

a floor consisting of a series of movable slabs having their side edge portions extending into said grooves; means for imparting movement to said iloor; a series of burners; and means for directing heat from the burners directlyagainst the exposed underside of 'said floor; said kiln having a flue passage communicating `with the region of the tunnel below said floor for conducting the gaseous products of combustion out of said kiln in isolation from the region of said tunnel above said floor.

3. In a tunnel kiln, wall means forming a. tunnel muille in said kiln, the wall means forming the sides of said muiiie each having a longitudinal groove therein interiorly of said muille; a plurality of plates mounted in said grooves, said plates being movable in said grooves to form a movable floor for said mulile; wall means forming a plurality of chambers beneath' said oor;

and means for applying heat in the region of each chamber against the undersurface of said floor; said kiln having nue means communicating with the individual chambers beneath said oor for conducting the gaseous products of combustion out of said kiln in isolation from thel interior of said mule.

4. In a tunnel kiln, wall means forming a tun nel mule in said kiln, the Wall means forming the sides of said munie each having a longitudinal groove therein interiorlyof said muille; a plurality of plates mounted in said grooves, said plates being movable in said grooves to form a movable floor for said/munie; Wall means forming a plurality of chambers beneath said oor; the wall means forming the bottom of said chambers having an opening for each chamber; heat producing means in the region of each of said openings adapted to direct heat againstthe undersurface of said oor; wall means forming a longitudinal flue over said mullle and forming a plurality of upwardly extending passages communicating with said chambers and said ue.

5. In a tunnel kiln, wall means dening the top and sides of two elongated muilles, the sides of said muilles each being provided with an internal longitudinal groove; a movable oor in 4each muiile comprising a plurality of slabs mounted in said grooves; means for directing heat against the undersurface of the respective oors; and wall means forming passages whereby said heat is caused to flow outwardly of the floors of said muilies and vertically up the outer sides oi said mules and longitudinally over the top of said muiiles.

6. In a tunnel kiln, wall means dening the top and sides of two elongated muiiles, the sides of said mullles each being provided with an internal longitudinal groove; a movable :door in each muille comprising aplurality of slabs mount.- ed in said grooves; wall` means -forming a plurality of chambers under each muiile; wall means forming a longitudinal ilue .over each muille; wall means forming a plurality of upwardly extend-4 ing passages atthe .sides of said muilles con' necting the respective chambers with said flues; and means for directing heat against the undersurface of said oors.

7. In a tunnel kiln, wall means dening the top and sides of a plurality of elongated muilles, the sides of said muilles each being provided with an internal longitudinal groove; a movable floor inv each muille comprising a plurality of slabs mounted in said grooves; said kiln having a plurality of chambers under a portion ofsaid floor and having upwardly extending passages leading from said chambers to longitudinal nues formed by the walls of said kiln over said muilles in the region of said chambers; said kiln having la longitudinal ue under said iloor in a region of said kiln immediately beyond the region of said chambers and having a connecting passageway leading from each of said rst mentioned ues to the respective last mentioned nues; and means for producing heat in the region of each of said chambers whereby hot gases are caused to flow against the undersurface of said licor, through said upwardly 'extending passages, through said rst mentioned ues over said munies, through said connecting passageways and through said last mentioned iiues.

8. A kiln having a tunnel therein; a movable floor comprising a plurality of slabs slidably supported at their side edge portions in said turmel adapted to support products to be lired, said floor dividing said tunnel into a heat treating tunnel chamber above said iioor and a combustion tunnel chamber below said licor; and heat producing means communicating with said combustion tunnel chamber for directing heat upwardly against the undersurface of said floor; said kiln having ilue means communicating with said combustion tunnel chamber for conducting the gaseous products of combustion out of said kiln in isolation from said upper heat treating tunnel chamber.

9. A kiln having a tunnel therein; a movable floor'comprising av plurality of slabs arranged in abutting end to end relation; means formed in the side walls of said tunnel for supporting said slabs at their side edge portions and for preventing buckling of said slabs when said slabs are forced through said kiln; said floor being adapted to support productsjto be red and serving to divide said tunnel into a heat treating tunnel chamber above said oor and a combustion tunnel chamber below ,said oor; and heat producing means communicating with said combustion tunnel chamber for directing heat upwardly against the undersurface of said door; said kiln having flue means communicating with said combustion tunnel chamber for conducting the gaseous products of combustion out of said kiln in isolation from said heat-treating tunnel chamber.

` red, said door dividing said tunnel into a heat treating tunnel chamber above said floor, a combustion tunnel chamber below said floor in the region of the greatest depth of said tunnel, and

. a shallow tunnel chamber below said floor in the region of'less depth of said tunnel; and heat producing means communicating with a part o1' said combustion tuxmel chamber for directingv heat upwardly against the undersurface of said floor: said kiln having flue means communicating with said combustion tunnel chamber at a point spaced from the portion of said tunnel of less depth for conducting gaseous products of combustion out oi' said kiln in isolation from said heat treating tunnel chamber.

11. In a kiln having a tunnel therein. a oor supported at an intermediate levelin said tunnel for sliding travel therethrough and dividing said tunnel into an encased mullle above and a flue below whereby said floor forms an exposed ceiling for said flue: and heat producing means operative with and in said flue.

12. In a kiln having a tunnel therein, a floor supported at an intermediate level in said tunnel for sliding travel therethrough and dividing said `heat producing means operative with and in said 14. In a tunnel kiln. wall means forming the top and sides of a tunnel munie, a iloor for said munie cooperating with the top and sides to encase said munie, means for supporting said floor for sliding travel through said kiln longitudinally oi' said muilie, said kiln having a chamber `extending beneath said oor; and means for producing heat in said chamber.

GEORGE P. FACKT. 

